


countdown

by Misila



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 16:38:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15392952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misila/pseuds/Misila
Summary: In which Haruka is selfish and doesn't want to lend Rin to the rest of the world just yet.





	countdown

 

 

 

 

In the little universe between them, it’s warm.

There is no sunlight yet, but the morning glow reaches every nook and corner where their edges don’t quite fit― they watch, toy with and get frustrated by their own lack of understanding; but, above all, they stare in silent wonder and fall a bit more in love with those nonsensical enigmas, enthralled by unsolvable riddles they’re too stubborn to give up on.

They were never supposed to be simple pieces of any puzzle, after all.

Outside, fog crawls, dense and lazy, around Haruka’s grandmother’s house, hiding it from dawn; the few rays of light strong enough to pierce it bathe the dark room in cold tones, and even though moisture clings to their skin, it makes their clothes little more than a nuisance. Even the early birds’ chirping sounds dulled, as though it belonged to a different world.

Rin smells of the sea and the promise of a challenge and Haruka doesn’t want to let go of him in case another six months pass before they can be in each other’s arms again. And Rin complains about the heat, about the things he has to do and the state of his hair― but he only holds Haruka tighter, humming a melody among black locks.

“You weren’t so clingy the last time I came to visit.”

Rin doesn’t sound teasing, so Haruka only hums in return, more focused on the way his boyfriend’s voice vibrates through his chest.

“I missed you,” he eventually dares to say, and he can feel Rin’s smile in his hair.

Knowing what Rin is thinking is not hard. There is a whole other world outside Haruka’s room, one where there are more people, schedules and responsibilities; the reminders poke at them through the heavy fog, whisper their countdown like an ominous chant.

“Me too.”

Haruka cranes his neck in search of a kiss, and in spite of Rin’s supposedly urgent need to not miss his morning jog he makes no noise to complain about Haruka crawling on top of him to straddle his hips― he pulls at Haruka’s wrists to destabilise him, his still sleepy laughter making Haruka’s hair stand on end when he lands his cheek on Rin’s shoulder.

And perhaps Haruka is cheating a bit, perhaps stealing Rin from the world to have him only for himself is selfish; but the world will have Rin as soon as they walk out of the door and Haruka has only so long before he leaves for the other side of the world.

“I really want,” Rin chokes out, and Haruka considers drawing back but the grip around his wrists is as firm as brittle Rin’s voice sounds, “want to have you close enough to… to not forget how it feels when I’m overseas.”

Haruka feels the heat radiating off Rin’s face, but he halts his attempts at looking into his eyes, half-hearted as they were.

This… is new.

(But it’s not.)

Haruka is familiar with the increasingly tight knot in his stomach as the date of Rin’s departure approaches, of the desperation in every kiss, every touch while time slips away between their fingers. The stubborn hug Rin clings to him with every night, even in his sleep.

It’s just neither have ever dared to utter it.

Haruka’s heart dances in his throat (anxious, selfish, _happy_ ) when he finally manages to stare at Rin, and his skin will never blush as furiously but his hands tremble at the defiant look nearly glaring above burning cheekbones.

“If you want sex,” Haruka enunciates, slowly, not exactly succeeding in pushing his heart back into his ribcage, “you just have to ask like a normal person.”

Once upon a time Rin would have unceremoniously thrown Haruka off the bed, too embarrassed to hold his gaze anymore. And the thought does cross his mind –Haruka sees the flash of defensiveness glint in his boyfriend’s eyes–, but in the end Rin only lets go of his wrists to sit up, and Haruka loses his precarious balance and falls on Rin’s thighs.

“How about _you_ ask instead of acting like a needy cat first time in the morning?”

Haruka shrugs, but his ears burn nearly as much as Rin’s kiss when it arrives, as the muscles he caresses through an old t-shirt and the fingers sneaking around his waist.

Maybe they should be bolder, Haruka muses, including himself in the sentence only now that Rin can’t hear him. More than they have become throughout the years, that’s it.

But there’s no rush, really, as long as they understand each other.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story a couple of months ago, but I didn't really know the direction I wanted it to take. But tonight, as I'm somewhere far from home, hearing a clock ticking in the room next to mine, I decided what I wanted to tell. I hope you liked it.
> 
> You can find me as @nenufair on both tumblr and twitter.


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